2000 U.S. POLL ON OPINIONS TOWARD JAPAN

JUNE 2000
Overseas Public Relations Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

I. GENERAL PUBLIC

Q1-a: Thinking of all Asian countries, which one country in this region do you think is the most important partner of the United States

	1999	2000
Japan	51%	53%
China	21%	22%
Russia	8%	6%
Other	7%	4%
None	3%	4%
No opinion	11%	11%

Q1-b: Why do you think this country is the most important partner of the United States?

	1999	2000
Economic ties and involvement/investments in the U.S.	22%	20%
Good trade relations	24%	25%
Technologically advanced	12%	15%
Economically strong	9%	7%

      ?????*25 other reasons are given such as "Military ties", "Industrious/hardworking people "

Q2-a: Do you think Japan is or is not a dependable ally or friend of the United States?

	1999	2000
Dependable	61%	60%
Not Dependable	25%	24%
No opinion	14%	16%

Q2-b: Why do you feel Japan is a dependable ally or friend?

	1999	2000
Economic ties and involvement/investments in the U.S.	18%	14%
Good trade relations between Japan and the U.S.	11%	12%
Non particular reason	4%	8%

      ?????*31 other reasons are given such as "Japan has proven its friendship since WW II", "Japan depends on us".

Q2-b': Why do you feel Japan is not a dependable ally or friend?

	1999	2000
Past events and Pearl Harbor	26%	29%
Self interest/only concerned with own country	14%	11%
Trade policy/economic friction and competition with the U.S.	8%	6%
Japan not trustworthy (unspecified)	14%	15%

      *19 other reasons are given such as "Cultural differences".

Q3-a: Do you have a favorable opinion of Japan or an unfavorable opinion of Japan?

	1999	2000
Favorable	43%	43%
Unfavorable	9%	9%
No opinion	48%	47%

Q3-b: Why do you have a favorable opinion of Japan?

	1999	2000
Like their culture/like it	7%	5%
Japanese are industrious/hardworking	11%	12%
Technologically advanced	8%	9%
Economic ties and involvement/investments in the U.S.	7%	8%
Japanese are good/honorable people	4%	6%
Japan is friendly	6%	5%

      *31 other reasons are given such as "Economically strong".

Q3-b': Why do you have an unfavorable opinion?

	1999	2000
Aggressive people, past events, Pearl Harbor	25%	30%
Trade policy/economic friction and competition, unfair trade practices	39%	23%

      *17 other reasons are given such as "Japan not trustworthy (unspecified)."

Q4-a: Taking its economic power into account, do you think Japan is playing a significant role in international affairs?

	1999	2000
Yes	67%	67%
No	22%	18%
No opinion	11%	15%

Q4-b: In which of the following areas, if any, would you say Japan is playing a significant role in international affairs?
*( )1999' figures

	Yes	No	No opinion
Science and technology	62%(63%)	36%(36%)	2%(1%)
Global economy	57%(57%)	39%(39%)	4%(4%)
Cultural exchange	50%(47%)	45%(49%)	5%(4%)
World politics	39%(41%)	53%(53%)	8%(6%)
Economic aid	27%(30%)	58%(58%)	15%(12%)
Security, including peace keeping operations	27%(28%)	64%(65%)	9%(7%)
Global issues such as the environment, population growth and AIDS	33%(35%)	56%(55%)	11%(10%)

Q5: In which of the following areas, if any, do you think Japan should play a significant role in international affairs?
*( )1999' figures

	Yes	No	No opinion
Science and technology	92%(93%)	5%(5%)	3%(2%)
Global economy	88%(87%)	7%(8%)	5%(5%)
Global issues such as the environment, population growth and AIDS	86%(88%)	9%(8%)	5%(4%)
Economic aid	86%(85%)	9%(10%)	5%(5%)
Cultural exchange	85%(85%)	10%(11%)	5%(4%)
Security, including peace keeping operations	81%(81%)	15%(15%)	4%(4%)
World politics	75%(75%)	18%(19%)	7%(6%)

Q6-a: Do you think the American and Japanese people have a good, fair, or poor understanding of each other?

	1999	2000
Good	25%	23%
Fair	50%	53%
Poor	23%	21%
No opinion	2%	3%

Q6-b: Why do you feel the American and Japanese people have a "good" understanding of each other?

	1999	2000
Good relations between Japan and the U.S.	10%	8%
Good Economic/Trade Relations/business relations	12%	7%
Positive personal relationships with Japanese	6%	7%

      *20 other reasons are given such as "Lot of cultural exchange", "Get along/work together".

Q6-b': Why do you feel the American and Japanese people have a "fair/poor" understanding of each other?

	1999	2000
Cultural differences	15%	19%
Americans are ignorant about Japan	5%	9%
U.S. and Japan are learning to understand each other	3%	4%
Don't understand each other/don't know about each other	13%	15%

      *37 other reasons are given such as "Language barrier", "Memories from WW II"

Q7: How would you describe the present level of cooperation between Japan and the United States?

	1999	2000
Excellent	5%	5%
Good	39%	37%
Fair	48%	49%
Poor	5%	5%
No opinion	3%	4%

Q8: How do you feel future relations between the U.S. and Japan?

	1999	2000
Will improve	50%	49%
Will not change	35%	37%
Will get worse	10%	8%
No opinion	5%	6%

Q9-a: Which one of the following possible ways do you think would help most to improve relations between the U.S. and Japan?

	1999	2000
Improving economic/trade relations	53%	46%
Increasing cooperation on global issues, such as the environment, AIDS, and population control	21%	24%
Strengthening political and security relations	15%	18%
Promoting cultural exchange	9%	9%
No opinion	2%	3%

Q9-b: Which country, Japan or the United States, do you think should be primarily responsible for {choice made in Q9-a} between the two countries?
*( )1999' figures

	Japan	U.S.	Both equally	No opinion
Improving economic/trade relations	38%(43%)	38%(31%)	21%(24%)	3%(2%)
Increasing cooperation on global issues, such as the environment, AIDS, and population control	21%(17%)	61%(56%)	16%(25%)	2%(2%)
Strengthening political and security relations	15%(21%)	53%(43%)	29%(35%)	3%(1%)
Promoting cultural exchange	13%(20%)	59%(46%)	25%(31%)	3%(3%)

Q10: Which one of the following possible reasons do you think is most responsible for the trade imbalance between Japan and the United States?

	1999	2000
Japan's unwillingness to open its market	55%	51%
The two countries' macro economic problems such as the U.S. bagdet deficit and Japan's low domestic demand	22%	25%
American industries' weak competitiveness	17%	17%
No opinion	5%	6%
Other	1%	1%

Q11: To what extent do you think the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, which provides the U.S. with bases in Japan for the defense of Japan and the Far East, contributes to stability and peace in the area?

	1999	2000
A great deal	33%	29%
A moderate amount	41%	42%
Only a little	17%	19%
Not at all	5%	4%
No opinion	4%	6%

Q12: How important is the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty to the United States in terms of our own security?

	1999	2000
Very important	53%	52%
Somewhat important	33%	35%
Not too important	8%	7%
Not at all important	4%	3%
No opinion	2%	3%

Q13: Do you think the United States should or should not maintain the current U.S.-Japan Security Treaty?

	1999	2000
Yes	84%	84%
No	8%	7%
No opinion	8%	9%

Q14: Do you think Japan should increase its self-defense capabilities?

	1999	2000
Yes	41%	40%
No	49%	51%
No opinion	10%	9%

Q15: Which of the following provide you, or have provided you with information about Japan?

	1999	2000
Television	84%	81%
Newspapers	79%	74%
Magazines or books	72%	70%
School studies	56%	58%
Radio	39%	36%
Movies	38%	40%
Japanese friends	30%	32%
Friends/neighbors	30%	32%
Internet	18%	21%
Own experience visiting	11%	10%

Q16-a: Which of the following statements best describes your awareness of the U.S.-Japan Common Agenda which is a framework between the two countries for addressing global issues?

	1999	2000
You are familiar with it	8%	5%
You have heard of it but are not familiar with it	48%	47%
You have not heard of it	43%	47%
No opinion	1%	1%

Q16-b: Are you interested in learning more about the U.S.-Japan cooperative activities in the following areas, or not?
*( )1999' figures

	Yes	No	No opinion
Promoting health and human development, including population growth and AIDS	69%(72%)	30%(28%)	1%(0%)
Responding to challenges to global stabilitity such as through counter-narcotics and counter-terrorist activities	65%(68%)	33%(31%)	2%(1%)
Protecting the global environment	76%(78%)	23%(21%)	1%(1%)
Advancing science and technology	77%(78%)	23%(21%)	0%(1%)

II. OPINION LEADERS

Q1-a: Thinking of all Asian countries, which one country in this region do you think is the most important partner of the United States

	1999	2000
Japan	75%	72%
China	19%	20%
Russia	2%	3%
Other	2%	4%
None	1%	0%
No opinion	1%	1%

Q1-b: Why do you think this country is the most important partner of the United States?

	1999	2000
Economic ties and involvement/investments in the U.S.	31%	31%
Economically strong	28%	24%
Good trade relations	31%	25%

      *31 other reasons are given such as "Military ties", "Political ties".

Q2-a: Do you think Japan is or is not a dependable ally or friend of the United States?

	1999	2000
Dependable	87%	87%
Not Dependable	10%	9%
No opinion	3%	4%

Q2-b: Why do you feel Japan is a dependable ally or friend?

	1999	2000
Economic ties and involvement/investments in the U.S.	21%	23%
Military ties/depends on US military	11%	15%
Political ties/they back us/democratic	8%	11%
Have common interests/share values	14%	17%
Past experience/history	11%	18%

      *30 other reasons are given such as "Good trade relations".

Q2-b': Why do you feel Japan is not a dependable ally or friend?

	1999	2000
Cultural differences	0%	5%
National qualities	39%	49%
Political issues/general ties with the U.S.	19%	19%
Trade/economic ties with the U.S.	24%	19%

Q3-a: Do you have a favorable opinion of Japan or an unfavorable opinion of Japan?

	1999	2000
Favorable	74%	79%
Unfavorable	11%	8%
No opinion	15%	13%

Q3-b: Why do you have a favorable opinion of Japan?

	1999	2000
Economic ties and involvement/investments in the U.S.	15%	10%
Economically strong	19%	14%
Allies/good relations/peaceful relations/political ties/they back us	19%	22%
Japanese are industrious/hardworking	11%	21%

      *31 other reasons are given such as "Like their culture/like it", "Good trade relations".

Q3-b': Why do you have an unfavorable opinion?

	1999	2000
Trade policy/economic friction and competition	48%	43%
Cultural differences	5%	6%
Political issues/general ties with the U.S.	8%	18%
National qualities	15%	13%

      *14 other reasons are given such as "Past events".

Q4: How would you describe the role that Japan plays in the international society compared with its economic strength?

	1999	2000
Commensurate	10%	10%
Somewhat commensurate	45%	49%
Not commensurate	44%	39%
No opinion	1%	2%

Q5: In which of the following areas, if any, would you say Japan currently plays an important role?

	1999	2000
Global economy	94%	95%
Science/technology	92%	95%
World politics	57%	60%
Economic aid	60%	53%
Cultural exchange	56%	51%
Global issues, such as the environment, AIDS, and population control	44%	40%
Security, including peace keeping operations	19%	20%

Q6: How important do you think it is that Japan should play a leading role in the following areas of the international society?

     /Promotion of world peace through diplomatic efforts (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	2%	1%
	2	11%	8%
	3	23%	25%
	4	35%	27%
	5 (extremely important)	29%	37%

      /Promotion of world peace through the development of its defense capabilities (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	13%	13%
	2	26%	21%
	3	33%	36%
	4	17%	21%
	5 (extremely important)	19%	8%

      /Stability and development of the world economy (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	1%	1%
	2	3%	1%
	3	6%	8%
	4	33%	39%
	5 (extremely important)	56%	49%

      /Giving aid to developing countries (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	1%	2%
	2	6%	6%
	3	19%	18%
	4	41%	41%
	5 (extremely important)	33%	33%

      /Cultural exchange (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	5%	5%
	2	18%	15%
	3	38%	38%
	4	21%	24%
	5 (extremely important)	18%	17%

      /Development of science and technology (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	0%	0%
	2	3%	4%
	3	20%	17%
	4	39%	41%
	5 (extremely important)	38%	37%

     /Dealing with global issues such as the environment, population growth and AIDS (magnitude of importance)

		1999	2000
	1 (not at all important)	3%	2%
	2	8%	8%
	3	26%	23%
	4	30%	32%
	5 (extremely important)	32%	35%

Q7-a: Do you think the Americans and Japanese people have a good, fair or poor understanding of each other?

	1999	2000
Good	11%	8%
Fair	62%	63%
Poor	27%	28%
No opinion	0%	1%

Q7-b: Why do you feel the American and Japanese people have a good understanding of each other?

	1999	2000
Lot of cultural exchange	9%	13%
Good relations between Japan and U.S./Improved relations since WW II	26%	43%
Good economic/trade relations	11%	6%
We understand each other/know about each other	26%	19%

      *13 other reasons are given such as "Common interests/share values".

Q7-b': Why do you feel the American and Japanese people have a fair/poor understanding of each other?

	1999	2000
Cultural differences	31%	31%
Americans are ignorant about Japan	18%	19%
Don't understand each other/lack of contact/geography	21%	33%

      *38 other reasons are given such as "Lack of cultural exchange", "Language barrier".

Q8: Do you think the relationship between the U.S. and Japan in terms of world-wide interests is essentially compatible, compatible but with occasional frictions, or in conflict?

	1999	2000
Compatible	15%	15%
Compatible but with occasional frictions	81%	82%
In conflict	3%	2%
No opinion	1%	1%

Q9: How would you describe the present level of cooperation between Japan and the U.S.?

	1999	2000
Excellent	3%	9%
Good	60%	72%
Fair	34%	17%
Poor	2%	1%
No opinion	1%	1%

Q10: How do you see future relations between the U.S. and Japan?

	1999	2000
Will improve	42%	35%
Will not change	47%	59%
Will get worse	8%	4%
No opinion	3%	2%

Q11-a: Which one of the following possible ways do you think would help most to improve relations between the U.S. and Japan?

	1999	2000
Improving economic/trade relations	75%	69%
Increasing cooperation on global issues, such as the environment, AIDS, and population control	8%	12%
Strengthening political and security relations	12%	10%
Promoting cultural exchanges	4%	7%
No opinion	1%	2%

Q11-b: Which country, Japan or the United States, do you think should be primarily responsible for {choice made in Q11-a} between the two countries?
*( )1999' figures

	Japan	U.S.	Both equally	No opinion
Improving economic/trade relations	55%(60%)	19%(17%)	24%(23%)	2%(0%)
Increasing cooperation on global issues, such as the environment, AIDS, and population control	15%(17%)	60%(39%)	17%(37%)	8%(7%)
Strengthening political and security relations	22%(40%)	59%(47%)	19%(13%)	0%(0%)
Promoting cultural exchanges	8%(0%)	48%(49%)	40%(51%)	4%(0%)

Q12-a: Which one of the following possible reasons do you think is most responsible for the current trade imbalance between Japan and the U.S.?

	1999	2000
Japan's unwillingness to open its markets	63%	52%
Macro economic problems such as the U.S. bugdet deficit and Japan's low domestic demand	25%	34%
American industries' weak competitiveness	7%	8%
Mixed all/No opinion	4%	4%
Other	1%	0%

Q12-b: Which one of the following do you think would be most effective in restoring Japan's economic growth?

	1999	2000
Major structural changes in the way Japanese business operates	82%	76%
Macro-economic stimuli	12%	13%
Both	2%	2%
Other	1%	2%
No opinion	3%	7%

Q13: How do you see future relations between the U.S. and Japan in the field of high-technology?

	1999	2000
Both countries will cooperate	41%	40%
Competition will be fierce and friction will arise	54%	54%
No opinion	5%	6%

Q14: To what extent do you think the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, which provides the U.S. with bases in Japan for the defense of Japan and the Far East, contributes to stability and peace in the area?

	1999	2000
A great deal	52%	50%
A moderate amount	35%	33%
Only a little	9%	11%
Not at all	3%	3%
No opinion	1%	3%

Q15: How important is the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty to the United States in terms of our own security?

	1999	2000
Very important	52%	46%
Somewhat important	34%	39%
Not too important	11%	10%
Not at all important	3%	2%
No opinion	0%	3%

Q16: Do you think the United States should or should not maintain the current U.S.-Japan Security Treaty?

	1999	2000
Yes	89%	86%
No	6%	6%
No opinion	5%	8%

Q17-a: Do you think Japan should increase its self-defense capabilities?

	1999	2000
Yes	64%	65%
No	31%	28%
No opinion	5%	8%

Q17-b: Whether or not each of the following is a reason you think Japan should increase its self-defense capabilities?

	1999	2000
Japan should make contributions to peace and stability in Asia	96%	95%
Japan should share the defense burden with the U.S.	97%	96%
Japan should defend itself	85%	85%

Q18: Which of the following provide you, or have provided you with information about Japan?

	1999	2000
Newspapers	95%	94%
Magazines or books	92%	92%
Television	74%	72%
School studies	56%	60%
Japanese friends	52%	61%
Friends/neighbors	40%	41%
Radio	47%	46%
Own experience visiting	38%	39%
Movies	36%	33%
Internet	28%	35%

Q19-a: Which of the following statements best describes your awareness of the U.S.-Japan Common Agenda which is a framework between the two countries for addressing global issues?

	1999	2000
You are familiar with it	15%	12%
You have heard of it but are not familiar with it	39%	42%
You have not heard of it	45%	46%
No opinion	1%	0%

Q19-b: Are you interested in learning more about the U.S.-Japan cooperative activities in the following areas, or not?
*( )1999' figures

	Yes	No	No opinion
Promoting health and human development, including population growth and AIDS	65%(58%)	35%(42%)	0%(0%)
Responding to challenges to global stabilitity such as through counter-narcotics and counter-terrorist activities	61%(62%)	38%(38%)	1%(0%)
Protecting the global environment	76%(70%)	24%(29%)	0%(1%)
Advancing science and technology	82%(75%)	18%(25%)	0%(0%)

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